Agored Cymru Service Standards 2010-11
- Business Development Directorate
- Quality, Standards and Regulation Directorate
- Finance and Corporate Services Directorate
Business Development Directorate
| Application for centre recognition: | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru service standards: | ||
| 1 | undertake new centre induction; | 1 | provide an initial response to centres' enquiries within 5 working days; |
| 2 | ensure compliance with centre recognition process; | 2 | provide a response to the submission of the initial enquiry form within 10 working days; |
| 3 | provide notification of the outcome of the centre recognition application within 15 working days of the initial quality review. | ||
Quality, Standards and Regulation Directorate
| Registrations: | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru Service Standards: | ||
| 1 | register learners on Agored Cymru course(s) within 40 working days of the start date of a course/learner as appropriate; | 1 | process registrations (R1) within 20 working days of receipt of correctly completed registration (R1) form; |
| Certification: | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru service standards: | ||
| 1 | ensure all recommendations for award of credits (RACs – C1) are correctly completed, signed by the approved internal verifier (AIV) or the external verifier (EV) and returned to Agored Cymru within 10 working days of course end date | 1 | produce and issue RACs (C1) within 20 working days of receipt of correctly completed registrations (R1) |
| 2 | distribute certificates promptly to all learners; | 2 | process and dispatch certificates to centres (by recorded delivery or other secure delivery service) within 25 working days of receipt of correctly completed RAC (C1) |
| 3 | retain a copy of the RAC(C1) | 3 | process and dispatch certificates to centres (by recorded delivery or other secure delivery service) within 10 working days of receipt of correctly completed electronic RAC (C1) |
| 4 | re-issue certificates within 5 working days of written request; | ||
| 5 | produce 99.5% of certificates and transcripts without Agored Cymru generated errors; | ||
| External Verification: | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru service standards: | ||
| 1 | respond to EV communications promptly with regard to arranging external verification; | 1 | issue external verifiers (EVs) with a contract (and access to relevant documentation) within 20 working days of allocation to a centre; |
| 2 | ensure all delivery tutors are aware of requirements for external verification; | 2 | EVs to return signed contracts within 10 working days of issue; |
| 3 | keep and make available to EVs accurate attendance register of learners; | 3 | EVs to contact centres within 10 working days of issue of contract; |
| 4 | submit action plan within 20 working days of receipt of external verification (EV) report; | 4 | EVs to submit reports within 6 working days of external verification; |
| 5 | dispatch EV report to centre within 25 working days; | ||
| 6 | ensure all EVs attend at least one standardisation meeting every two years. | ||
| Quality Review: | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru service standards: | ||
| 1 | respond to quality reviewers' (QRs) communications promptly with regards to arranging initial and annual quality reviews | 1 | issue quality reviewers(QRs) with a contract (and access to relevant documentation) within 20 working days of allocation to a centre; |
| 2 | keep accurate tracking records of learner progress; | 2 | QRs to return contracts within 10 working days of downloading from website; |
| 3 | distribute certificates promptly to all learners; | 3 | QRs to contact centres within 10 working days of receipt of contract |
| 4 | ensure information received from Agored Cymru is disseminated to all relevant staff; | 4 | QRs to submit reports within 10 working days of the QR process; |
| 5 | Inform Agored Cymru of any changes in key staff to ensure AC records are updated; | 5 | issue the QR report, including the quality improvement plan, within 20 working days of the date of the quality review; |
| 6 | ensure all QRs attend at least one update session every 12 months; | ||
| 7 | provide an annual event for QRs and centre quality contacts in North, South-West and South-East regions. | ||
Access to Higher Education
| Access to HE Validation/Re-validation: | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru service standards: | ||
| 1 | use electronic documentation for submission of programme; | 1 | provide a written response to drafts of new Access to HE programmes/pathways within 10 working days; |
| 2 | consult with significant receiving HEIs when designing or amending Access to HE programmes, pathways, modules or units; | 2 | provide training in (re-)validation requirements to Access course teams prior to the initial preparation/review of (re)validation within 20 working days of request; |
| 3 | submit the programme for (re)validation every 5 years or less if the Access validating agency (AVA) has concerns about the provision; | 3 | notify panel members of date of (re)validation and supply documentation at least 10 working days before the date of the panel; |
| 4 | ensure key staff involved in the preparation of an Access programme (re-)validation attend an Agored Cymru training session; | 4 | inform centres of the panel requirements for approval in writing within 10 working days of the panel; |
| 5 | submit final learning programme plan at least 15 working days prior to the agreed panel date; | 5 | submit the approval documentation for new programmes to the next available Access to HE committee (AHEC) for formal recognition, and forward the documentation signed by the Chair of AHEC to the centre within 10 working days of the AHEC meeting. |
| 6 | amend and return submission document in line with panel report 20 working days after receipt of panel report; | ||
| 7 | make every effort to assist with unit reading and validation panels; | ||
| AHE End of Year Reports | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru service standards: | ||
| 1 | supply the AVA with a critical appraisal of each Access pathway annually, based on the criteria provided, by 30 September; | 1 | provide guidelines to Access coordinators by end of June for the information required in end of year review; |
| 2 | supply accurate statistics using the QAA template provided by the end of February; | 2 | provide templates for gathering Access statistics in December (enrolments, ethnicity and disabilities) and June (attainment and progression) |
| 3 | provide written feedback to centres on annual reviews during end of year reviews. | ||
| Finance: | |||
| Centre requirements: | Agored Cymru service standards: | ||
| 1 | ensure payment of invoices within 30 working days; | 1 | notify centres by the end of April of its charging structure for the forthcoming academic year; |
| 2 | respond to enquiries about invoices within 5 working days; | ||
| 3 | make payments to creditors in line with Agored Cymru terms and conditions. | ||
